Most first visits to Phuket begin with the same question typed into a phone somewhere between the airport and the hotel: where to go in Patong? The town is small and almost everything a visitor wants is in the middle of it. What changes through the day is which part of the town is comfortable to be in. The sand is best early, the middle of the day belongs indoors, and the markets, the stadiums and the bars fill up after dark. Jungceylon in Patong is located directly opposite Bangla Road, about a five-minute walk from Patong Beach, which makes it an easy place to start the day from and to come back to when the heat arrives.

Where to go in Patong in the morning?

Patong Beach. The sand is most comfortable before the middle of the day, the sea is usually calmer, and Thaweewong Road along the beachfront is quiet enough to walk. Lifeguards post colored flags along the sand. Swim between the green flags and stay out of the water when the red flags are up, which is common between May and October.

Jungceylon opens at 11:00 AM, so anything you need for the morning has to come from your hotel or a convenience store. Buy the rest later in the day when you come in out of the heat.

The other morning option is Freedom Beach, a small bay south of Patong with no road down to the sand. Most visitors arrive by longtail boat from the Patong end, and the boat is a return trip, so agree the pickup time with the driver before you get in. There is also a land route that ends in a long set of steps. Freedom Beach takes most of a morning, so plan it in place of a morning at Patong Beach. Phuket IG Travel on the ground floor of The Garden Zone books boat trips if you would prefer the return arranged for you.

Where to go in Patong in the afternoon heat?

Between about 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM the beach road is hot and there is not much shade on it. This is the part of the day the mall is the suitable place for, and it is also when the morning's missing items can be replaced.

Jungceylon is divided into four zones: The Jungle Zone, The Bay Zone, The Garden Zone and The Botanica Zone. The Jungle, Garden and Botanica zones are connected and covered, so a group can move between them without going back outside. The Bay Zone plaza is semi-outdoor, so rain can still blow in during heavy downpours.

• Rip Curl (The Jungle Zone, ground floor) Swimwear, rash guards and beach shorts, which helps if your luggage arrived late.
• Havaianas (The Jungle Zone, ground floor) Flip-flops, and a pair that survives hot sand is a better buy than the ones sold on the beach road.
• Boots (The Jungle Zone, basement) Sunscreen, plasters and the rest of what a first day outdoors uses up.
• Moshi Moshi (The Botanica Zone, ground floor) A variety store for the small things nobody packs, like a hat, a dry bag or a charging cable.
• Machida Shoten (The Jungle Zone, ground floor) A ramen shop, for an air-conditioned lunch before you go back out.
• Starbucks Coffee (The Jungle Zone, ground floor) For anyone in the group who only wants a cold drink and a chair.

Where to go in Patong for dinner at a night market?

There are three, spread across the town.

• Banzaan Fresh Market (Sai Kor Road) Directly behind the mall. Fish and produce on the lower level, cooked food above it.
• OTOP Night Market (Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road) Covered, opposite Hard Rock Cafe, with souvenir stalls at the front and a food street behind them.
• Malin Plaza (Prachanukhro Road) At the southern end of Patong, under an open-sided roof, grilled seafood and Thai street food.

All three are cash places. At a food stall the price is the price and is not negotiated. At a souvenir stall the first price is an opening position, and walking away is a normal part of the conversation.

Where can you watch Muay Thai in Patong?

There are two stadiums, both in the middle of town. Bangla Boxing Stadium is located on Soi Banzaan, behind Jungceylon and beside the Banzaan market, which makes it the easier one to reach on foot from the mall. Patong Boxing Stadium is located on Sai Nam Yen Road, a few streets to the south.

Both hold their fights in the evening. Tickets are sold at the stadium and by sellers on the street, and the two prices are not always the same, so ask at the stadium window before buying from anyone on Bangla Road. Seats are sold in categories, with ringside the most expensive, and the card for the night is posted at the entrance. Fight nights and start times are set by the stadium and change, so check the night you plan to go.

Where to go in Patong at night?

Bangla Road, which is directly opposite the mall's main entrance. It closes to traffic in the evening and fills with bars, live music and street performers. It is loud, it is open late, and it is recommended to see it once even if it is not your cup of tea. Drink prices are posted in some bars and not in others, so ask before you order.

Jungceylon closes at 10:00 PM, which is earlier than Bangla Road gets busy. Both of the mall's steak restaurants, Churrasco Phuket Steakhouse and El Gaucho, are on the ground floor of The Garden Zone, and both are open long after the shops close, so a late dinner in the building is still possible.